Tag Archive for: school

The ‘Progress Check at Two’ Explained

The ‘Progress Check at 2’ is a requirement for all 2-year-olds attending registered childcare settings in England.The ‘Progress Check at 2’ is a requirement for all 2-year-olds attending registered childcare settings in England. This article provides an overview of what it consists of, who is involved in the process, and how the Progress Check at 2 can benefit young children.

The ‘Progress Check at 2’

The Progress Check at 2 is important because it helps to ensure that children are progressing well in key areas of development, at what is a very significant age for them. It is a collaborative effort between a child’s early years or childcare provider, their parents, guardians, or caregivers, and, if applicable, their health visitor. It is a comprehensive assessment of the progress, in all areas of learning and development, of children who have reached the age of two. It is a part of the ongoing assessment process required as part of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), which sets the curriculum for children attending registered childcare and early years education settings in England. After the assessment is finished, a written summary is given to the child’s parents, guardians, or caregivers.

Why Two?

The age of two is a significant milestone in any child's development.The age of two is a significant milestone in any child’s development, which is why both the Progress Check at 2 and the separate Healthy Child Programme’s 2-Year Review* take place at this age. By this key stage, the progress and attainment of a child’s learning, speech, language, cognitive, physical, social and emotional development will have started to become more apparent. Ensuring that each area is developing optimally at such an early stage will have long-term benefits for the child, so it is important to confirm that everything is on track.

Focus Areas

The Progress Check at 2 is focused on the three “prime” areas of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum: (1) Communication and Language, (2) Physical Development, and (3) Personal, Social and Emotional Development. However, the early years professionals conducting the progress check may also include information about a child’s progress in the remaining four “specific” areas of the EYFS curriculum if they feel it is appropriate. They are (4) Literacy, (5) Mathematics, (6) Understanding the World, and (7) Expressive Arts and Design.

Key Aims of the Progress Check at 2

The Progress Check at 2 helps determine whether a child is making progress at the expected level for their age and stage of development.The Progress Check at 2 helps primarily to determine whether a child is making progress at the expected level for their age and stage of development. By using the findings of the progress check as a benchmark, it is possible to provide support to optimise the child’s progress going forward. Sharing the results between childcare settings, parents, and any other early years professionals involved allows ongoing support to continue both at home and at the child’s nursery, pre-school, or other childcare setting. Once identified, strengths can be further developed and areas of concern can be addressed through additional help and support if needed. For example, if a specific educational need or disability has been identified, the childcare provider’s Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCo) and any necessary health professionals or specialists can work together to create a support plan for the child. This can include strategies and activities to help nurture the child’s progress at nursery and/or at home.

The assessment helps children overcome any areas of difficulty by the time they start school.Ensuring School Readiness for Under-Fives

By conducting the progress check and providing support at an early age, children are more likely to overcome any areas of difficulty by the time they start school. This helps them to avoid falling behind at such a crucial stage of their development. Without this support, they may have a difficult start in school, which could negatively impact their education and development going forward. All in all, the Progress Check at 2 is a vital and powerful tool for helping young children succeed.

*A Clarification:

The ‘Progress Check at 2’ is Not the Same as the ‘2-Year Review’

The Progress Check at 2 is distinct from the Healthy Child Programme’s 2-Year Review, which is also conducted around the same age. While the Progress Check at 2 focuses on a child’s learning and development progress, the 2-Year Review is focused on the child’s health and wellbeing and is carried out by healthcare professionals such as health visitors. They will assess the child’s overall health, immunisation status, physical and mental development, wellbeing, and support from parents, caregivers, or guardians.

While the two reviews address different aspects of a child’s development, there are areas of overlap, and it can be beneficial for them to be conducted concurrently to provide a comprehensive view of the child at this important age. This can help identify any issues that may need to be addressed via appropriate interventions. For this reason, parents, caregivers, or guardians of 2-year-olds are encouraged to allow information about their child to be shared between the professionals involved in each review.

Ofsted inspections also ensure that each child’s Progress Check at 2 is carried out properly at childcare/early years settings. They also recognise the benefits of aligning the Progress check at 2 with the separate 2-Year Review in order to gain a holistic overview of each child.

Nursery & Pre-School Places in Edgbaston, Near Birmingham

Are you in need of a nursery place for your child in or around Edgbaston, near Birmingham?

Leaps & Bounds nursery & pre-school is in Edgbaston, Birmingham B16, near Harborne, Ladywood, Bearwood & Smethwick

We offer a range of childcare options including free, funded places through various Government schemes. Leaps & Bounds Nursery and Pre-school is located in Edgbaston (B16), near Birmingham, near Harborne, Ladywood, Bearwood and Smethwick. Please contact us to discuss your childcare needs and the options available for your baby, toddler, or child under five. We’ll be happy to help:

How to Prepare Children For School

Preparing will ensure that the transition from pre-school to school goes as smoothly and stress-free as possible.In today’s article, we take a look at the best ways to prepare children for starting school. Leaving pre-school and starting Reception Year at primary school is a huge step for them. It’s also a big step for parents/carers, of course. So, it’s wise for everyone to be as prepared as possible for the first day and week in particular. Preparing well will ensure that the transition goes as smoothly and as stress-free as possible. So, how do we go about preparing children for starting at school? Let’s take a look …

Nurturing School-Readiness at Pre-School

The good news is that a good nursery or pre-school like Leaps & Bounds will help children prepare for school by default. It’s one of the key goals of any good pre-school, in fact. Decent pre-schools will nurture “preschoolers” (aged from about 3 to 5 years of age) in all aspects of their learning and development. This includes academically, physically, socially, emotionally, in terms of communication and language and also, of course, in terms of introducing them to A good pre-school will teach children everything they need to know in order to be ‘school-ready’ by the time they start in Reception Year.everything they need to know in order to be ‘school-ready’ by the time they leave and start school. As well as encouraging independence and a level of self-confidence, the preparation at pre-school will also include introducing them to reading and writing and a good grounding in understanding the world. These and many other aspects of early eduction will all stand children in good stead, so they can hit the ground running from the moment they begin Reception Year at school.

So, placing your child into a good local pre-school by the time they’re 3 or 4 can pay huge dividends for your child — but don’t just take our word for it. Here’s what the Department for Education has to say about sending children to nursery/pre-school for ‘early years education’:

“Early childhood education benefits the educational, cognitive, behavioural and social outcomes of children in both the short and long term.”

The Government helps with free funded childcare hours at nursery/pre-school for 3 and 4-year-olds in England — and Leaps & Bounds Day Nursery in Edgbaston supports the scheme. (Learn more about free childcare funding for 3 and 4-year-olds here).

Nurturing School-Readiness at Home

Parents, carers or guardians of preschoolers can also do many simple things to help them become school-ready by the time they’re five …

Working in Partnership with Pre-School

Children will benefit if parents help them work towards the same learning and development goals as the pre-school.One very obvious way to help is to ensure that, even when at home, parents/carers work in partnership with the child’s pre-school, i.e. work towards the same learning and development goals for the child. Working on any weaker areas at home will help the child in terms of school preparedness.

Encouraging children to have a built-in desire to learn will help them in both the short and long term.

Visit the School

Visiting the school with the child will also help them be more prepared as they will know better what to expect when the time comes. Familiarity and knowing their way around, ahead of time, is also a very practical benefit of taking them for a school visit. Obtaining a school brochure or prospectus for the child will also help with this.

Find a Friendly Face

Finding out which friends are also going to the school will give children moral support.Finding out which friends are also going to the school will benefit them. If there are none, then a play date can be set up if you can get to know another family whose child is starting on the same day. Knowing one or more friends, who are going at the same time, will be good moral support for all parties. It’ll also stop them feeling isolated, alone or even abandoned, particularly in the first couple of days once they start.

Nurture Independence

Encouraging independence will greatly help children. If they learn to look after their own personal needs before they start school, it’ll help them once they begin. Toilet training, personal hygiene, dressing, tying laces, packing backpacks, eating and tidiness are all good examples of things they can learn at home before beginning school.

Personal & Social Skills

Encouraging independence will greatly help children once they begin school.Similarly, social skills like having good manners, being polite, knowing the difference between right and wrong, empathy for others and, of course, good communication skills will all help children thrive more easily once they’re at school. Parents/carers can help them with this.

Answer & Reassure

Answering questions or finding answers to questions that the child may have will also help to reassure them and allay any fears that they may have.

The Power of Positivity

Being positive with your answers will also help. Encourage children to feel excited about all the wonderful things they will be able to do and learn once at school. There might be new sports, new exciting topics, new equipment, wonderful games and opportunities — so encourage positivity. This is one of life’s big adventures, so don’t forget to remind them.

Prepare

Ensure that both you and your child know the drill for dropping off and picking up at each end of the school day.Nearer the start date, run through what’s likely to happen on the first day with your child, so they’re mentally prepared. Again, be positive about it all.

In the week or two before they start, ensure they get used to an appropriate bedtime and get sufficient sleep. Ideally, their body clocks should have adjusted fully to ‘school time’ before they actually start. So, even breakfast time may need an adjustment in the weeks preceding the start of school. This will all help them get through the day with good concentration and energy levels.

Another good tip is to ensure that both you and your child know the drill for dropping off and picking up at each end of the school day. Where is it done? What time? What is the best approach from a safety perspective? What security precautions does the school have in place should you unexpectedly need to send someone else to collect your child. The answers to all these types of questions will need to be known before the first day.

On the First Day of School

Ensure that the child's backpack is pre-packed with everything they'll need.When the big day comes, ensure that you are both fully prepared so that the start of school is stress-free for both you and your child. This includes:

  • Ensuring that the child’s backpack is pre-packed with everything they’ll need including any sports or P.E. clothes/footwear (suitably labelled with their name), any stationery, a calculator if needed and so on;
  • Ensuring they have sufficient food, snacks and drink should the school not be supplying them;
  • Making sure that the uniform fits, is clean, ironed and ready for the child;
  • Knowing the journey times and parking/dropping-off arrangements, because you don’t want to make your child late — especially on their first day;
  • Making sure that you have the contact details of the school and form tutor — and that they have yours — in case of any problems.

Just before you wave goodbye to your child, ensure they know who is picking them up and when. This will reassure them and is also for safety. Make sure you have agreed security arrangements for pick-up between yourselves and, of course, don’t be late when picking them up when the time comes.

A Wonderful Nursery & Pre-School in Birmingham, Near Harborne, Ladywood, Bearwood & Smethwick

Leaps & Bounds nursery & pre-school is in Edgbaston, Birmingham B16, near Harborne, Ladywood, Bearwood & Smethwick

Leaps & Bounds Nursery is rated as a Good Provider of childcare by Ofsted.Leaps & Bounds is an excellent pre-school and nursery in Edgbaston, Birmingham (B16). As such, it’s also ideally located if you are searching for pre-schools or childcare nurseries near Harborne, Ladywood, Bearwood or Smethwick. Babies, toddlers and preschoolers absolutely thrive at the setting and we even have our own Forest School, where children get to benefit and learn from nature. One of our most important goals for every child is also to ensure they are school-ready by the time they leave us around the age of 5. If you have any questions, would like to bring your child for a visit or would simply like to apply for a place, please get in touch: